What to do during a lactation crisis. Lactation crisis: when it happens and what to do

29.07.2019

Lactation crisis (lactation crisis) is a crisis of lactation, in which the amount of milk produced by the mother is not enough for the child's adequate nutrition. Fortunately, this situation is temporary and does not last long, if the woman does not make some mistakes. We will tell you about them, as well as about the lactation crisis, its distinctive features and timing.

How do you know if the amount of food you eat is inadequate for your child's needs? If you are quite well-read on this topic, you know when there are periods of this very crisis of lactation (by the way, usually when the child is 1, 3, 6 months old), while you have only the first child, then you will surely pay attention to the following behavioral features of your children:

shortening the time between feedings, the child wants to eat more often, and even at night, for this reason he wakes up many times during the night;
signs of a lactation crisis are not always greedy sucking of the child, but also his refusal to breast, the so-called false refusal, when the baby begins to scream at the sight of the breast;
small weight gain, especially typical for children of the first and second months of life, for example, for a period of 2 weeks, the baby gains not the minimum 250 grams, but 100 grams or does not gain weight at all.

However, all this is not critical. It is important for a mother to find out if the child is really hungry and if he has signs of dehydration. For this purpose, many mothers feel the large fontanelle of the child on their head. With a lack of milk or fluid in the baby's body, it becomes sunken. But a slightly sunken fontanel does not always indicate something. It is more objective to count the urination of the child. There should be at least 10 of them per day. If everything is in order with this, and the baby does not look painful, you need not just look for reasons why there is not enough milk from the nursing one, but take very specific measures to correct the situation.

1. Do not let the child suck on pacifiers, do not add water. The last point does not apply to babies if they are already receiving complementary foods or they are being supplemented with artificial formula.

2. Do not give artificial mixture. If the period in which the child receives supplementary feeding with the mixture is already quite long, it can be advised only to slowly, gradually reduce the amount of supplementary feeding, at the same time clearly performing the third point.

3. Offer breasts more often, even at night. How long the lactation crisis lasts depends directly on the activity of breast stimulation by the baby. And at night, the hormone prolactin is released, thanks to which milk production occurs. The more the baby suckles at night, the more milk the mother will have during the day. Of course, it's not worth it to specifically wake up the baby at night for the sake of feeding. But if you notice that he is worried, give him a breast, not a pacifier, a pacifier, etc. Leave motion sickness for that period of lactation when there will be no problems of this kind.

What if the child practically does not breastfeed? This is the so-called false rejection. Please be patient and feed by following these guidelines.

What to do if there is a lactation crisis and the baby has refused to breastfeed

1. Remember that this is a temporary situation. It usually lasts for several days, although sometimes the baby gives out whims within a month. In a lactation crisis at 3 months, when the baby begins to take an active interest in the world around him, try to feed him before bed, during and after bed. In complete silence or against a background of white noise, such as bubbling water, a working vacuum cleaner, hairdryer or refrigerator. Close the curtains and go to another room if there are still people at home. As a last resort, you can hide in the bathroom.

2. Sleep in the same bed with your baby and learn to feed him lying down. When the mother is completely relaxed, she has taken such a comfortable position that it is not even necessary to support the breast with her hand while feeding, she does not threaten hypogalactia. Milk flushes will be necessary. Moreover, they are frequent. And the nights will be easier, and the baby will wake up less often.

Also, some mothers advise a position in which, at different periods of the onset of the lactation crisis, they feed in the following, unusual way. They lay the baby with their belly on their belly and give the breast. It is desirable that the torso of the nursing mother and the body of the child are naked. That is, there was skin-to-skin contact.

Well, in general, the prevention of lactation crises is a constant stay with a child and absolute confidence that everything is in order with milk. If you are tired, you need help, then let the assistants clean up for you, go to the store, prepare food. And you will spend more time with your baby.

Lactation crisis is periodic. This is a difficult period, but after going through it, mom and baby enter a normal regime. It is known that some nursing mothers have never encountered such a phenomenon during the entire period of breastfeeding.

Signs of lactation problems

Lack of milk can be determined by the child's anxiety. He is capricious, angry, often wakes up, constantly begs for breast, and after feeding he cries, as he remains half-starved.

Mom begins to worry, worry, because it seems to her that the milk is starting to disappear. But this is not true. The child eats as much as he has eaten before, just his needs have increased. And the mother's body has not yet adapted to produce milk for new requests.

Crisis symptoms:

the need for breasts. The baby constantly requires a breast, the feeding time is delayed, and the intervals between them are reduced;
the chest feels empty. Mom is less likely to feel the rush of milk and by the next feeding the breast does not overflow, as before.

The baby should be tested for "wet diapers". If a child pees less than 12 times per day, but more than 6 times, a crisis has come. A frequency of urination less than 6 times indicates severe dehydration. requiring medical attention... It is advisable to monitor the weight of the baby. Weighing is carried out before and after feeding during the day. If in the first 3-4 months he adds less than 125 g per week, it is worth visiting a doctor and, possibly, introducing supplements.

Time of the problem

Often, a lactation crisis occurs:

at the beginning of hepatitis B (when lactation is formed);
at three months;
at six months;
at 12 months.

Why does an exacerbation occur at 3 months

The baby is growing rapidly and is 3 months old. Breastfeeding is well established, mom has adapted to the baby, but suddenly he starts to get angry at the breast, get nervous and twist his legs. Why it happens? The kid has already "found" his hands by this moment, turns to the sound of his mother's voice, smiles, good. He is ready for further knowledge of the world, he is interested in new subjects. Along with the development of the child, the nature of his nutrition also changes. This is a normal process. The baby can refuse to breast during wakefulness, which means that it ceases to properly stimulate the breast.

At 3 months, a growth spurt occurs, and lactation finally passes into the stage of maturity. The mammary glands no longer overflow, remain soft and produce milk when sucked. This combination becomes the cause of the crisis.

To ease the lactation crisis at 3 months, you can in the following ways:

if the baby refuses to breastfeed during the day, you do not need to force him, but you should constantly offer to kiss;
when the baby sucks for a very long time, you should not pull the nipple out of the mouth forcibly. Even if the child fell asleep, while continuing to suck, you should wait until he releases him;
during this period, it is necessary to replace the nipple (if the child falls asleep with it) on the breast. Half asleep, the baby continues to stimulate the mammary glands, which increases the flow of breast milk;
do not use the pacifier if the baby is agitated or nervous, but offer breast instead of it;
by the age of three months, the baby takes breast not only for saturation, but as a game. He can bite his mother, indulge, giving her discomfort. Such behavior should be stopped by explaining that it hurts mom;
feed at night. At this time, prolactin is produced, which is responsible for the secretion of milk.

What to do to overcome the lactation crisis

Lack of milk during a lactation crisis should be taken calmly. Almost all lactating mothers face this, painlessly resuming lactation. The main thing, do not rush to feed, otherwise it will be very difficult to overcome the problem. The baby will gradually switch to mixed nutrition, less milk will be produced, as a result, lactation will fade away. If mom is not initially determined to breastfeed for a long time, at the first problems she will save, and breastfeeding for her will be completed.

It is possible to strengthen the inflows and cope with the crisis at any time by adjusting the diet, the frequency of breastfeeding, using gymnastics, doing massage, using lactogonic drinks - for example,.

A nursing mom's diet is different from her usual diet.

It is necessary to refrain from marinades, smoked meats, fried, spicy, salty foods, yeast and pastries. They absorb fluid, delaying milk production. It is imperative to organize the correct drinking regime: consume compotes, teas, juices, decoctions in a warm form. The liquid rate during lactation is 2.5 liters. per day, taking into account the first courses, juicy vegetables and fruits.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding problems can arise from or insufficient breast stimulation. If pain is felt during feeding, the baby makes clattering sounds, you need to watch how it captures the nipple. The turned out lower lip and the areola completely captured by the gums mean that the baby is breastfeeding correctly.

In some women, the nipple is flat, making it difficult to grasp. But even in such cases, the baby is able to dissolve it to the desired shape. Only after using the bottle is it hard for a baby to get used to natural feeding, so there is no need to rush to feed him with a “life-making” object.

Massage and gymnastics

They are useful for prolonging and increasing lactation. They strengthen the nervous system and stimulate blood circulation. Massaging circular movements are carried out with warm hands from the neck to the nipple. In the shower, a stream of water is directed to the chest area. Milk will begin to flow noticeably, standing out from the nipples.

Night feedings

The key to successful breastfeeding. The nursing mother notices that in the morning the breast is full of milk - after all, from 3 to 8 in the morning, the body produces prolactin and oxytocin, which are responsible for lactation. The more often the baby eats at night, the more milk will be added during the day.

When passes

The lactation crisis often lasts 3-7 days. If milk is not enough for a long time, then it is worth consulting a doctor. We are not talking about a temporary natural state, but about hypogalactia. Then you need to look for the cause and urgently eliminate it. Improper care of the baby, latent diseases, disturbed regimen, and not a lack of milk can cause increased appetite, moodiness, crying in a child.

Everyone has long known the common truth that the best food for newborns is breast milk. And if in Soviet times many women rather quickly transferred babies to artificial mixtures (because the mother had to work, and because of feeding by the hour, if not a month, then exactly by 3 months of life, milk significantly decreased), modern mothers realize the importance of breastfeeding and try to establish it as quickly as possible.

However, a milk crisis occurs periodically during breastfeeding. We are not talking about hypolactia, when, due to certain reasons, there is initially little milk. We are talking about a situation when, it seems, the lactation process is fine, the breast is developed and everyone is happy - but then suddenly the mother notices that there is not enough milk, the breast for the next feeding is rather soft, half empty, and the child has become more capricious, requires feeding him more often and literally hangs on the chest. If you are faced with a similar situation, it is early to sound the alarm. Most likely, a period of lactation crisis has begun. But why does it arise, how soon will it pass, and what should the mother do to solve this problem?

Is the lactation crisis so critical?

In fact, nothing supernatural happens. The periods of milk decrease are quite understandable from the point of view of physiology. For the first time, a similar problem is encountered at 3-6 weeks of a baby's life. The next "corrections" of nutrition occur at 3 months, then at 7, 11 and 12 months. But as practice shows, only the first two crises are palpable, because at this stage of development, the baby feeds exclusively on breast milk.

So what's going on? In fact, there is no less milk in the breast - the need for it simply increases due to the fact that the baby is growing rapidly in the first months and gaining weight.

Let's remember how milk is produced. An “order” for its quantity is formed according to the principle “request - response to request”. In this case, the baby himself acts as the customer. After he has sucked a certain milk volume, a signal is sent to the body, informing, for example, that the need is 80 ml every 2 hours.

Rapid growth of a baby increases its need for milk.

But the baby grows very quickly and in the first month can add from 600 to 900 grams, this is a quarter or a third of its original birth weight! It is clear that with such a growth rate, the need for food also increases.

Since the request for an increase in milk supply is “processed” for several days, it seems that the child is always hungry. If earlier you fed him every 2-2.5 hours, now the baby can barely withstand an hour, greedily grabs the nipple and does not let it go for half an hour, and at the same time you feel that the breast is empty.

Crises at a later time are associated with high energy costs, when the child learns to crawl and then walk. But they are not so noticeable, since the baby after 6 months is already receiving complementary foods.

Other causes of crises:

Mother's stress and fatigue. It is known that under stress in the body, there is a sharp increase in adrenaline, and it suppresses the production of the hormone oxytocin, which is responsible for regulating the process of milk flowing out of the ducts. If stress is a constant companion of a nursing mother, then milk production may decrease precisely because of this.
Disturbances in the organization of feeding. Improper attachments, skipping feedings at night or early in the morning, a dummy - all this negatively affects a woman's lactating abilities.
Moon phases. Sometimes the lactation crisis is mistakenly associated with the influence of the moon. From the point of view of medicine, such a statement has no basis at all. On the other hand, we do not dare to completely exclude the influence of the Moon, since for some reason more births actually take place on a full moon.

What is a mother to do? Feed on, maintain emotional balance and wait. Since the customer "demands" an increase in milk production, the mother's body will soon establish its exact need, and the baby will receive as much food as needed. But this takes time. Usually, the whole process of rebuilding for a new need takes 2 to 4 days, but it can take a week. The main thing is that during this time the mother does not make some mistakes that contribute to a decrease in milk. Which?

Typical mistakes of moms

Supplements with a mixture. Of course, it is difficult to resist the temptation to "feed" the baby with a highly adapted formula when you realize that the child has eaten less today than yesterday. And even if grandmothers insist on supplementary feeding, accusing and stigmatizing a bad mother, you can easily give up. This seems to be a simple way out of the situation. However, remember: every 10 grams. mixture is minus 10 gr. milk. As a result, it becomes more difficult to normalize the breastfeeding process, and sometimes a second supplement is added to one supplementary feed, and GW gradually disappears. Of course, you need to stay balanced, and if lactation has not returned to normal after a week, you can discuss with a breastfeeding consultant what can be done to increase it. But when there are no critical problems with weight gain and the baby does not have serious pathologies, why not wait with the supplements?
Feeding by the hour. If before lactocrisis you fed by the hour, now is the time to switch to the mode of feeding on demand. This is the only way to successfully continue lactation. If your baby is not getting enough milk from one breast, offer both.

During a milk crisis, you should not feed the baby or give him a pacifier.

Things to Remember

Ditch the idea that you are unable to feed your child. Cases where a woman is not actually lactating are very, very rare. On the other hand, there are facts when a mother strongly wanted to feed her adopted baby, put it to her breast, and over time she had milk. That is, your milk has not gone away or gone, and the crisis situation is temporary.
The hormone prolactin, which is responsible for lactation, is produced most intensively at night. Therefore, it is extremely important not to be lazy to feed at night, as well as in the early morning hours. This will speed up the process of exiting lactocrisis.
During a crisis, milk is usually not as fat as it used to be. And this is understandable, because the "back" milk does not have time to arrive due to the shortened intervals between feedings. Do not worry if a child stays on a similar diet for several days, nothing bad will happen.
In the first months, in order to understand whether the baby is full or not, a wet diaper test is performed. If in a day a child of the first months of life, who is exclusively breastfed, "wet" 7, 8 or more diapers and the urine is colorless or pale yellow, then there is no big problem.
Eating high-calorie foods such as condensed milk and nuts does not increase lactation, contrary to popular belief. But they can cause allergic reactions, as well as bloating and constipation.

The production of prolactin, and thus milk, is associated with active breastfeeding.

Mom's actions during lactocrisis

Apply the baby to your chest more often. It has been said many times that the more often the baby eats, even if it seems that there is nothing in the breast, the faster the lactation process will return to normal.
Check for proper attachment to the breast. If the breastfeeding process has already been established, it is unlikely that the baby is gripping the nipple incorrectly. Better yet, check how well he does it. It may be worth changing your feeding position.
Feed at any time of the day. Feeding on demand means that the mother is ready to provide the baby with food day and night, no matter how much she wants to sleep. Moreover, prolactin produces milk intensively at night.
Drink plenty of fluids. For good health, the body should receive about 2-2.5 liters of fluid daily, mainly water. Drinking warm drinks just before feeding facilitates milk flow.
Get enough sleep and eat right. Adequate rest and sleep are essential for the emotional balance of a nursing mother. Regular balanced nutrition is also important, because newly-made mothers often forget about lunchtime and are content with only snacks, and this also leads to exhaustion of a woman.
Exposure to heat. Taking a warm bath and light massage of the breast in the form of gentle strokes in a clockwise direction does not increase lactation itself, but facilitates the flow of milk. Therefore, you can try as a helper method.

So, milk crises sometimes cloud breastfeeding, but in most cases they do not last long. Mom just needs to be patient, show restraint and calmness and not deny her baby more frequent feeding. And very soon the feeding regime will improve.

The problem of a lactation crisis is common among breastfeeding women. In the process of the next feeding, a woman may notice that her baby has ceased to be saturated with that portion of breast milk, which is released in one application. Let's consider what tactics should be followed in this case, and whether it is worth resorting to the use of artificial nutritional mixtures.

State characteristic

Lactation crisis is a condition in which there is a temporary decrease in the production of breast milk. The most common period of onset of a crisis is the first 4 months after the birth of a child. Often this condition occurs at 3, 7 and 12 weeks of a child's life.

The risk of a lactation crisis is exposed to primiparous women, whose body has not yet regulated the mechanism of lactation. A decrease in the production of breast milk is a short-term trouble that, with proper organization of lactation, goes away on its own.

Important! A decrease in breast milk production should not result in a refusal to breastfeed. A growing child's body is in dire need of a full-fledged source of nutrients, which is the mother's milk.

Symptoms

The manifestations of a lactation crisis are varied. On the part of the child, there may be a reaction in the form of whims and crying immediately after the end of the feeding. A breastfeeding woman may be disturbed by a feeling of emptying of the mammary glands, which has not been previously observed.

Lack of breast milk forces the baby to give more frequent signs that he is hungry. Other manifestations of a lactation crisis on the part of a child include:

the frequency of urination is less than 5 times a day;
constant whims and crying of the baby;
weight gain in a month was less than 500 g;
irregular, greenish-tinged stools;
the frequency and duration of feedings has increased significantly;
during the day, the baby refuses to breastfeed.

With normal growth and development of the child, the lactation crisis does not pose a danger to him. The main rule for the mother should remain on-demand feeding. It is the frequent latching to the breast that has a stimulating effect, thereby increasing milk production in the mammary gland.

Causes

Various factors, depending on both the mother and the child, can provoke the onset of this condition. Common causes of a lactation crisis include:

A sharp jump in the growth of the baby. In this case, a growing child's body needs an increased amount of food. During this period, the body of a lactating woman is not able to ensure the proper production of breast milk.
Psychoemotional, physical and hormonal factors have a significant impact on the development of a lactation crisis.
Regular exposure to stress on the body of a nursing woman.
Violation of the rules of the food and drinking regime.
Excessive physical and emotional stress.
Breastfeeding according to the hourly schedule. The gold standard for breastfeeding is strictly as requested by the infant.
The use of pacifiers, as a result of which the baby ceases to actively attach to the breast. Weak stimulation of the mammary glands contributes to a decrease in breast milk production and the onset of a lactation crisis.
The use of artificial mixtures as supplementary feed. Replenishing the lack of breast milk with formula or drinking water is the reason for the decrease in stimulation of the mammary glands, and as a result of the production of breast milk.

Control methods

Despite the fact that the lactation crisis disappears on its own, there are some recommendations that allow you to quickly get rid of breast milk deficiency.

Organization of the daily routine

Compliance with the daily routine plays an important role in ensuring normal lactation. A nursing woman is recommended to eat well and rest as much as possible. Of particular value is a night's sleep, the duration of which should be at least 9 hours. It is better to distribute household chores evenly between your family and friends.

Compliance with the drinking regime

The intake of the required amount of fluid in a woman's body significantly affects the process of breast milk production. During a lactation crisis, the volume of fluid consumed should be more than 2.5 liters per day. As a liquid, you can use drinking and mineral water, fruit juices (except citrus fruits), compotes, fruit drinks, green and black tea with milk. In addition, it is useful to use herbal preparations that stimulate lactation.

Compliance with the feeding regime

Increasing the frequency of breastfeeding is an excellent prevention of a lactation crisis. If a woman experiences a feeling of complete emptying of the mammary gland, then this should not be a reason for stopping breastfeeding.

Night-time feeding is also an important part of the prevention and treatment of breast milk deficiency. Adhering to the on-demand feeding regimen, the woman is advised to lay the baby next to her, thereby facilitating the procedure for nightly attachment to the breast.

Avoiding artificial mixtures

In the absence of the need to transfer to artificial feeding, a nursing woman is not recommended to supplement the baby with milk formula. Such experiments are the reason for the decrease in the production of breast milk in the mammary glands.

Using massage techniques

Stimulation of lactation is carried out by means of self-massage of the mammary glands. Before carrying out the self-massage procedure, it is recommended to take a contrast or warm shower, and wipe the mammary glands dry. To reduce friction, you can use pharmacy (peach) or olive oil. It is necessary to start the massage with gentle stroking of the mammary glands from the periphery to the center (to the nipple). After that, you can proceed to neat and alternate kneading of the mammary glands. Massage is recommended in the morning after waking up and in the evening before bedtime.

Exposure to heat

If you have problems with insufficient production of breast milk, a lactating woman is recommended to take a warm (not hot) bath or shower. The duration of such a bath should be no more than 20 minutes. To enhance the therapeutic effect, you can combine taking a warm bath and self-massage of the mammary glands. If there are contraindications for taking a general bath, you can wash your chest with warm water or do baths.

Keeping calm

Emotional balance plays a significant role in the lactation process. Constant emotional outbursts provoke hormonal changes in a woman's body, which in turn can affect the quality of breastfeeding.

Compliance with feeding techniques

Violation of the technique of latching the baby to the breast may be associated with improper grip of the nipple. If the baby's lips do not completely cover the nipple and halo, then during feeding, insufficient stimulation of the mammary gland occurs and a lactation crisis is provoked.

The correct organization of the regime and technique of breastfeeding is a guarantee that there are no problems with milk production. If all recommendations are followed, the duration of the lactation crisis is no more than 3 days. If this process is protracted, then perhaps the nursing woman makes some mistakes. In this case, it is recommended to contact your doctor or breastfeeding specialist, who will consult and outline a number of necessary treatment measures.

With the birth of a baby, the life of every woman changes dramatically. She follows a special diet and daily routine, adjusting to the needs of the child. Each of his crying or anxious behavior causes anxiety in the mother, because such behavior can signal a lack of milk. During lactation, there are invariably periods when the baby begins to demand more and more valuable food, and the woman's body does not have time to adapt to new demands and a so-called lactation crisis occurs. It is very important for a young mother to know what a lactation crisis is and how to cope with it, since the duration of full breastfeeding largely depends on the success of overcoming it.

A breastfeeding crisis is a predictable situation that invariably occurs at certain stages of a child's development. This condition can be repeated several times during lactation. For some mothers, crises can occur quite often, and only after crossing the sixth month of a child's life, breastfeeding is getting better and ceases to bother the woman.

Lactation crises are periods of physiological decrease in milk production. These time periods of a decrease in lactation arise regardless of the mother's desire to breastfeed and are necessary for the woman's body to adapt to the new needs of the baby in the amount of milk.

The reasons for such a thing as a lactation crisis is a physiological phenomenon, but sometimes a young mother, without knowing it, can become a provocateur of a decrease in milk production, because her lifestyle and emotional state are closely interconnected with the production of nutritious fluid. To establish its production, mom only needs to normalize sleep, nutrition, take a break from the daily household routine.

The following factors affect the decrease in lactation:

stressful condition;
fatigue, lack of sleep;
unbalanced diet and low intake of drink;
hormonal disruptions;
the use of nipples and pacifiers;
non-compliance with the principle.

The main reason remains the physiological development of the baby, whose growing body begins to require more and more milk, and the mother's body cannot quickly establish the production of the required amount. Therefore, milk dissonance occurs, which can be easily recognized by the changed behavior of the baby.

Symptoms of a lactation crisis

The fact that the lactation crisis has begun, the mother will be prompted by the characteristic symptoms that appear already in the first days both in her body and in the behavior of the baby. These include:

restless behavior of the child;
feedings become longer and more frequent;
"Empty" mammary glands;
devastation in one feeding of both breasts.

If the baby behaves restlessly, constantly cries, calms down after latching on to the breast - this does not mean that the mother has begun a lactation crisis. Signs of such a baby's behavior are characteristic of many conditions (colic, emotional overexcitation).

But an increase in the usual time of feedings, a decrease in the interval between them, a feeling of emptiness in the mammary glands are already clear indicators of the onset of a crisis. If the baby does not eat up with one breast, requires supplements, remains capricious after receiving food, you should also think about the onset of a crisis.

When do they happen and how long do they last

First month

The first predicted crisis in HV occurs at one month of age (3 and 6 weeks after delivery). This is closely related to the development of the baby's sense organs. At the age of 1 month, he begins to notice objects, sounds and smells unfamiliar to him before, often expressing his emotions with loud crying or restless behavior. A young mother cannot but notice changes in the behavior of the baby. At this stage, a woman should not resort to unreasonable supplementation with artificial mixtures, do not use pacifiers. It is important to know that this is a temporary phenomenon.

The first crisis lasts from two to five days. In some cases, improvements occur after a week. The main advice on how to overcome the lactation crisis at the age of one month is to continue breastfeeding on demand, distract the baby with a light massage, a warm bath, and gentle touches.

Third month

The breastfeeding crisis, which manifests itself in crumbs at 3 months, is caused by active knowledge of the world around and a change in the nature of nutrition. The child ceases to actively attach to the breast during wakefulness, eats only before bedtime and at night. A crisis of 3 months can last from two to ten days.

Dr. Komarovsky in his articles talks about the rules for breastfeeding women, which will help painlessly survive breastfeeding crises. According to the pediatrician, a young mother needs to eat well and regularly, devote more time to rest, learn to cope with stress, even if the mother does not feel the rush of milk.

Not knowing how to survive a lactation crisis at 3 months, a young mother may offer the baby a pacifier to calm her down - this way is wrong. One of the coping principles is not to force your toddler to eat if he doesn't want to. In order not to reduce milk production in a nursing mother, you should offer him the breast before bedtime, exclude bottle feeding and pacifiers, be sure to apply it to the breast at night. Night and afternoon feedings normalize the production of the hormones prolactin and oxytocin, which are responsible for lactation.

Other periods of decreased lactation

How many crises usually occur during lactation is beyond predicting. Breastfeeding is an individual process that depends on many factors. Some mothers do not even notice any deviations or crises during breastfeeding, while others face this problem even at the age of 6 months. Some young mothers may observe such periods of milk supply decrease even at 11-12 months.

Having previously studied the possible periods and timing of the appearance of a crisis, a woman will be ready for this problem, so she will be able to overcome it quickly and without additional worries.

Means for increasing the amount of milk

If a mother does not know what to do during periods of decreased lactation, but having a desire to continue breastfeeding, she resorts to traditional medicine and medicines. Women have faced the problem of the lactation crisis for a long time, so each of them has their own ways of how to increase the lactation of breast milk and thereby reduce the manifestations of the crisis. Modern medicine also does not stand still and offers nursing mothers all kinds of teas and preparations to increase lactation. It should be noted that any of these funds are approved for use only after a doctor's approval. It is necessary to start using any agent with caution so as not to provoke an allergic reaction in the crumbs.

The most popular folk methods for increasing breast milk volume are:

walnuts;
warm tea with milk;
carrot juice;
teas based on fennel, caraway seeds, dill, kalindzha, anise, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, dioecious nettle oregano, saffron, fenugreek;
warm compresses on the chest area without the use of alcohol, vodka, camphor.

Attention and care on the part of a man balance the emotional state of a woman, reduce stressful manifestations, and give vitality. A calm and contented mother is the key to a healthy and well-fed child, therefore, it is necessary to involve the father in caring for the baby, to shift some of the household chores to him, so that the nursing woman can have a good rest, sleep or escape for several hours from the routine environment.

The doctor may prescribe the following drugs:

nicotinic acid 15–20 minutes before breastfeeding;
Apilak under the tongue,
homeopathic remedies Mlekoin, Pulsatilla compositum, Hamomilla;
glutamic acid 20 minutes after eating;
drugs Gendevit, Undevit;
vitamin E;
dry brewer's yeast, etc.

A woman who understands what a breastfeeding crisis is, when there are possible outbreaks of this condition, easily copes with the situation. At the age of one to three months, the most likely to occur is a crisis, so mommy should make every effort to correctly pass it. Basic actions during a lactation crisis:

normalize the psycho-emotional state of the mother;
establish a drinking regimen and balance nutrition (drink at least 2.5 liters of liquid, include fish, mushroom soups, etc. in the diet);
refuse to use pacifiers and nipples;
do not feed the baby with a bottle of formula without a doctor's recommendation;
be sure to breastfeed at night;
increase the number of breastfeeding during the day;
exercise, massage or take a warm shower to the breast area to make it easier for your baby to suck out milk.
use protein and vitamin products for nursing mothers as prescribed by a doctor (Mama Plus, Complivit Mama, Femilak - 2, Agu Mama).

To maintain a normal level of lactation, a woman should lead a healthy lifestyle, get enough sleep, walk in the fresh air more often, get help from her husband, feel his care and love. Subject to these simple rules, both the baby and mommy can easily endure any crises.